GATEWAY SYSTEM AND METHOD
A vehicle control and gateway module comprising an electronic control module controlling one or more vehicle systems, a vehicle communications bus, a wireless communications module, an electronic gateway module acting as a translator of information between the vehicle communications bus and the wireless communications module, and a software program, whereby an operator using a remote mobile device can send and receive wireless commands to and from the vehicle with the electronic gateway module translating messages from one data protocol to the other as required.
1 . A gateway system for controlling dynamic equipment, which system comprises:
a wireless mobile device;
an electronic equipment control module connected to said dynamic equipment and configured for controlling and monitoring one or more equipment functions;
a wireless-to-serial node connected to said control module;
said wireless-to-serial node including a wireless communications module;
said mobile device being configured for communicating wirelessly with said wireless-to-serial node via said communications module;
an interface between said wireless-to-serial node and said equipment control module;
said wireless-to-serial node being configured for transmitting to and receiving from said mobile device information and commands related to said one or more equipment functions;
a communications bus connected to said control module;
said control module being configured for transmitting and receiving data on said communications bus;
said communications module being configured for wirelessly transmitting data to and receiving data from said mobile device;
said communications module being configured for translating data received on said communications bus into a wireless message protocol;
wherein said communications module includes a safety function configured for disabling one or more equipment functions under predefined conditions; and
wherein said mobile device includes a pair of actuators which must be simultaneously engaged by an operator in order to enable said one or more equipment functions.
2 . A gateway system for controlling dynamic equipment, which system comprises:
a wireless mobile device;
an electronic equipment control module connected to said dynamic equipment and configured for controlling and monitoring one or more equipment functions;
a wireless-to-serial node connected to said control module;
said wireless-to-serial node including a wireless communications module;
said mobile device being configured for communicating wirelessly with said wireless-to-serial node via said communications module;
an interface between said wireless-to-serial node and said equipment control module;
said wireless-to-serial node being configured for transmitting to and receiving from said mobile device information and commands related to said one or more equipment functions;
wherein said mobile device includes a display screen;
wherein said dynamic equipment comprises a pneumatic seeder including a particulate flow blockage monitor having acoustic particulate flow sensors connected to said wireless-to-serial node;
said particulate flow blockage monitor being configured for detecting a particulate flow blockage; and
said wireless-to-serial node being configured for transmitting a particulate flow blockage status indicator to said mobile device display screen.
3 . A system for controlling dynamic equipment, which system comprises:
a first control terminal including a first display;
a second control terminal including a second display;
an electronic control module including a first connection to said first control terminal and a second connection to said second control terminal;
said electronic control module being connected to said dynamic equipment and adapted for receiving control signals from said first and second control terminals and controlling and monitoring one or more functions of said dynamic equipment in response to said control signals;
a software algorithm hosted on said electronic control module and adapted to manage the handoff of control of said one or more dynamic equipment functions between said first control terminal and said second control terminal;
wherein said first control terminal is mounted on or within said dynamic equipment; and
wherein said dynamic equipment includes an agricultural vehicle and an agricultural implement connected to said vehicle, said first and second control terminals being configured to control and monitor said agricultural implement.